Ex-Patriots LB Says Bill Belichick ‘Doesn’t Deserve’ First Ballot Hall of Fame Honors

Public opinion on longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has rarely been high. Whether it be the cheating scandals or stoic personality, the 73-year-old coach has seldom made it easy for football fans to cheer him on.

Apparently, this sentiment extends to former players as well.

On Wednesday, three-time Super Bowl champion Ted Johnson turned heel on “WEEI Afternoons” with a staunch criticism of his former head coach.

“I would say Belichick, by far, is the most responsible for the cheating scandals,” said Johnson.

“I don’t know if a coach has had more success than Bill when it comes to championships, but also more negative kind of stories that he’s brought upon himself. And so to say that he deserves to go into the Hall of Fame first ballot, when you consider all of those scandals that he’s been a part of, I don’t agree with (that). I don’t.”

Johnson played ten years in the NFL after being drafted by New England in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

He retired immediately after winning Super Bowl XXXIX, spending his entire career with the Patriots and five seasons under Belichick.

“Both of you think that Belichick should be a first ballot Hall of Famer, and I disagree,” Johnson said to his cohosts. “I think the cheating scandal should be a penalty, to some degree, by keeping him out this first year. But he’s a Hall of Famer.

“People question my Super Bowls because I had a head coach that’s attached to cheating scandals. But put him in first ballot!”

For Johnson, the several scandals, whether or not the former coach was held liable, make up reputation-damaging blunders.

“Not on the first ballot, no.” said Johnson. “Not with the – was he convicted of cheating? And after that, did he decide to cheat again? So a guy that said ‘eh’ to your rules did it again, and then he did it again with the Bengals (in 2019), did he not?”

Belichick is a senior finalist, and his spot on the 2026 Hall of Fame ballot will be voted on early next year. If he receives more than 80% of the selection committee’s approval, he will join the 2026 Hall of Fame induction class unveiled during Super Bowl week.